Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 525: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the action he proposes to take by way of provision of extra funding to facilitate local authorities intent on provision or acquisition of housing stock thereby reducing the cost of rent support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31307/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Meeting social housing need remains a high priority for the Government. While ensuring that we can deliver across the full range of needs, the scale and composition of the public housing programme in the years ahead will be dependent on a number of factors, including the level of available funding and the evolution of the housing market generally.

I am determined to ensure that the programme is framed in a manner which continues to optimise the delivery of social housing. To achieve this it is essential to tailor available Exchequer supports to prevailing market conditions and explore alternative solutions to address housing needs, having full regard to the sustainable communities philosophy outlined in the Government's housing policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities.

To these ends, the range of delivery mechanisms continues to be adapted and expanded. Last year, I announced the introduction of a new Social Housing Leasing Initiative, through which I expect a substantial number of dwellings to be provided in the years ahead, to meet housing needs estimated at just over 56,000 households in the 2008 Housing Needs Assessment. This, together with the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), complements the traditional capital funded programmes operated through local authorities and the voluntary and co-operative housing sector.

An amendment to Part V through the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009, to allow local authorities take units under RAS or lease arrangements, will provide a further option for maximising supply through these more flexible sources. I will be keeping the leasing initiative and all the other housing programmes under ongoing review to ensure that they are appropriately geared towards meeting the maximum level of housing need.